Ghosts of the Soul
by Tokyly
Summary: Music Crafter Kagome is famous throughout feudal japan, her instruments kill demons. When she accidentally realeases one, and can't seal it back, will the Seven Lords take interest? or their leader?
1. Music Crafter Kagome

** _Ghosts of the Soul_**

**Created by Tokyly Chumo**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha or other things in the anime**

**Concept: Inuyasha has been frozen in stone, but ocarina sorceress Kagome is here to set him free . . . whether she chooses to or not.**

Prologue: after twenty years of destruction, Naraku and the Seven Lords have frozen Inuyasha in stone. With Inuyasha's father dead, and having left nothing behind, Inuyasha raged with demon blood and killed without knowing it.

Kagome, a Music Crafter, is highly skilled, as the title mentions, in Instrument crafting. Humans, and even powerful, art seeking demons, marvel at her work. But she is also a very fearsome opponent to demons. She regularly crafts whistles, that can stun demons, so that humans may get to safety. She delivers ten of these sacred whistles every season change, around every four months, to several villages.

Some of her more powerful instruments, which she sells to demon slayers, can destroy demons, if the musician is skilled enough. Her favorite Instrument is her Ocarina, and is Kagome's most tended to, and most powerful weapon. Monks and priestess' alike have blessed it.

Chapter 1 

The wind whistled threw the many instruments Kagome's shop held. It was a soothing sound to all the villagers in Kogaset, a fair sized town actually, of about 50 people, and home to many animals, cattle, pets, and strays alike.

Kagome, herself, sat working on a Lorikse, the sacred whistle that warded off demons and if necessary, raging animals as well.

The whistle was made of a fine oak, coated with a remedy new to Japan from the west. It looked like the front part of a recorder, but had a thinner opening, and white feathers gently fused into the wood from the center, extending towards the mouth piece, while the rest of the instrument had special symbols of magic, taught to her by a priest.

Satisfied with the last symbol carved in place, Kagome stood and held the instrument to her lips, soothing the air threw her mouth, and into it. The symbols began to glow pink, and the instrument hummed a low B flat, indescribably atoned to the highest note that a human ear could hear comfortably.

Kagome brought the instrument down, and placed it in it's case for her travels, which would begin in a few days, as autumn was soon approaching, along with a new variety of demons, and undoubtedly, the need for the self defense, for harvesting time was due.

As she stood, Kagome's attire stressed how much her way of life was her own. She wore decent red peasant pants, along with a yellow shirt, that she had cut at the sleeves. Her hair was as black and silky as ever, and in its natural position. She wore simple black padded leather shoes.

**Her home, due to her profession**, was very nice, and outmatched only by the village religious temples and worship centers. Its position on a hill is very strategic. She, along with help from the villagers, has carved out part of the hill. That part is where her shop is, one fair sized room that accommodated her needs. Outside of the shop, there are stone steps leading to her home on the hill, a three room buildings, a main living area, a kitchen, and a bedroom.

Her bedroom was on the second floor. Not really a second floor, but a loft, as one might say.

Now the town benefits greatly from Kagome's works. She is highly respected, as her house suggests, and her popularity threw the region attracts traders to the village. She gives generously at church (A/N: Buddhist I think) assemblies, which helps the town, because the church has a major influence in its structure.

Of course her reputation also attracts demons. The town has a staff of demon slayers on hand at all times. With each failure, the demons come less and less, so there are but occasional attacks.

**Kagome walked along the dirt road** towards a villager's home named Laura. Kagome was delivering some medicine to her today, because the village healer was out on business, and wouldn't be back for another day. Laura had a cold, and luckily, Sango, a familiar trader with Kagome, knew some medical practice, and sold Kagome some extra medicine.

No one was forced to give warning before entering another house or building, except holy ones, but Kagome thought it was a rude concept, and always asked permission first.

"Laura, are you awake, mind if I come in?" Kagome whispered threw the blended straw door.

"Yes Lady Kagome, I am, and you may" a voice replied from inside.

Kagome pushed the door to the side and stepped into the one room house. Most, as with this, houses had wood floors, since the village could afford it. Laura lay on a pallet on the floor, with a small pillow under her head, and a white cloth on her forehead.

"I brought your medicine" Kagome announced quietly, as to not hurt Laura already bad headache.

"Thank you, I've heard the news, that this new western medicine works quickly" She replied.

Kagome heated the stove in the corner of the room, and poured freshwater into a saucer. After about fifteen minuets, the water started to boil, and Kagome opened a pouched she had taken from the bag she carried.

She pours about a quarter of the bags contents into the water, and began to stir it. The water turned a turquoise color. Kagome then pulled a tomato from her bag and cut it into small pieces over the soup.

"That should give it some taste," she said.

Kagome put out the fire and closed her bag. She waited a good five minuets before taking the saucer and pouring the contents into a bowl. She hand it to Laura.

"Drink this, and you should feel better in no time" Kagome stated.

Laura nodded and took a sip of the soup.

"Thank you again, Lady Kagome" Laura said.

"No problem, I'll be in to check with you later, bye!" Kagome said, waving.

**As she stepped down from Laura's home**, Kagome heard the Demon Slayer's Horn. Another attack was underway, and Kagome could hear it, even from her distance.

'That's the third on this week, I wonder why so many lately' she thought.

Kagome dashed down the village roads, towards the sound, which she no longer needed to hear, because she saw the demons quite clearly now. The demon slayers where hard at work. There where at least thirty demons, and Kagome thought it was time to step in and help.

She reached into her bag, and pulled out a fair sized Ocarina. It was white, with blue scar like markings going across it. They're where two thumb holes on the bottom, and six more in a row on the top. The mouthpiece curved out gradually from the round figure.

A demon curved around the building to the right of Kagome, although it had now sealed it's own fate.

Kagome closed her eyes once more, and began playing a melody, one that she called 'Apologize'.

An aura of blue surrounded Kagome, and the wind began to twist and bend around her, swaying her hair in an upward motion.

The demon froze in mid-air, a stunned look in it's one eye. It was a worm-like one-eyed demon, with a yellowish body, and brown caterpillar type feet. The mouth under its eye was stuck open, it's sharp teeth still barred.

Every one of the demon slayers halted their attacks. The demons they where fighting had froze too, and now they turned their attention to Kagome.

Kagome's calm expression relieved the demon slayers greatly. She was having no trouble with these demons. But now the demons had a white aura around them. The aura condensed slowly, until it was just a mere speck, and then all the demons burst inside the bubbles, which then caused the aura's to explode like rain, the droplets floating away with the wind.

The blue aura around Kagome dissipated as she stopped playing, and brought the ocarina away from her mouth.

"Hey Kagome, why don't ya leave some demons for us? It makes us feel a little guilty if we get paid for what your doing" a voice joked from behind Kagome.

"Well there's a challenge for you then, kill all the demons before I get here, Jak" Kagome replied sarcastically.

Jak walked up to Kagome. He was wearing a standard slayer uniform, without the mouth cover though. His eyes where brown, along with his hair, and he stood about two or three inches shorter than Kagome.

The others began to gather their weapons and clean the remains of the demons they had slain before Kagome had gotten there, out of the village. Everyone thanked Kagome as they walked by.

"Jak, shouldn't you be helping the others" came another voice behind Kagome.

"Yes Lady Kaede" Jak replied.

He rushed off after grabbing his weapons, and headed towards the others.

Kagome turned around and bowed slightly, "Good evening, Lady Kaede".

"As to you, Kagome" Kaede replied, " Would you please accompany me to my home? I need to ask you something"

"Of course" Kagome replied, picking up her bag, and following Kaede threw the center of the village.

They passed the Main worship center in the very center of the village. It was three stories high, and a good distance around. Right next to it was a stable, one of which contained Kagome's favorite horse.

"Could you please wait a second Kaede?" Kagome politely asked.

Kagome pulled an apple out of her bag and handed it to a short black horse. It accepted it and ate it in a few bites. Kagome patted its head, it was a female, and had soft eyes.

"Kagome, I see you around that horse a lot, why don't you just buy it?" Kaede inquired.

"Because, I wouldn't have enough time for her, it's the curse of responsibility" Kagome replied.

"I see, but you may be able to spend more time with it than you'd expect, please, lets continue" Kaede replied.

They walked on towards the priestess Kaede's home, at the very edge of the village, by the forest. The forest on this side of the village was not to worry about though, because it was thick, and besides, it was next to a waterfall.

'What could Kaede mean?' thought Kagome.

They arrived on the steps and entered Kaede's dwelling. It had several rooms, but they journeyed west, towards the back of the house.

The room they entered had a table, and on a both sides a mat to sit on.

"Kagome, your journey to neighboring villages may take longer this season, something very serious has happened in the north . . ." Kaede began

What is the serious matter? How should I know! I make this up as I go, besides major plot lines that guide me!

So make sure you read carefully!

Hope you all liked that chapter! Credits to Kris's friend for ocarina inspiration!

If any interest sparks, or I just feel like writing more in this story I will.

Please Review! It is a big factor in if I write more or not.

Kudos, later!


	2. “The Tougai and the Troubled Boy”

**Ghosts of the Soul**

Chapter 2

"The Tougai and the Troubled Boy"

Disclaimer: I Don't own Inu-Chan or anything of his or his creator 

Concept:

Kaede has brought Kagome to her home to introduce a problem in the North.

Chapter 2 

Kagome sat on a small cotton-filled pad in silence, waiting anxiously for Kaede's new announcement. By the look on her face, there was a very serious matter on Kaede's mind, and that if any interruptions occurred; it wouldn't be a small chastisement Kagome would receive

Kaede looked up solemnly into Kagome's soft brown eyes and sighed.

"I suppose you know of the Hierokys in the North?" Kaede inquired.

"Yes" came Kagome's not so thought out reply.

"It seems that their feuds with the neighboring towns and villages has caused a vote of the Seven Lords" Kaede implored.

Kagome sat for a moment, and then gasped as it sank deep within her. "Has it really gotten that bad?" Kagome almost shouted.

"Yes, and the vote has stated that the Hierokys must move from the central region to a more remote northern region," Kaede said," Near the edge of the Western lands"

Kagome sat for a minute processing this information. The Seven Lords getting involved was a great disappointment. The Hierokys had seemed to get along with everyone else so well on her last visit, what could have happened, and why where they moved so close to the Western lands? That was a small area a few miles long before the actual lands of the West showed their true colors, as demon country.

"Lady Kaede, I would like to know what this little event has to do with my journey?" Kagome asked, catching onto the glint in Kaede's eye.

Kaede shifted in her seat and closed her eyes.

"Well, you see Kagome, you've noticed that there are less and less demons here? Well that of course means that they have to go somewhere, and they have chosen to go north, with a migration of people, many human hunting demons have thought they may make easy targets" Kaede sighed.

"So they are having a serious demon problem, which in turn is making them have trouble in settling?" Kagome asked.

"Yes, and they need you to help them" Kaede finished.

Kagome sat staring at the floor although not due to deep concentration. Then she looked up grinning.

"Your not going to give me a choice on this one, are you Kaede" Kagome laughed.

"You know me well, Kagome" Kaede laughed as well.

Kaede got up and went to get some food, and Kagome laid back for a while, thinking about all of this. She'd never been to a new settlement before, so this would be exciting. Sure, settlements where appearing all over now, it was a prosperous time, she had just never been to one, for lack of a reason to go there. She had been born in a nicely developed village already.

Kaede soon returned and they ate in silence for a short while. Finally Kagome felt that she had stayed for enough time respectively, and stood to leave the room.

"Kagome, take this" Kaede said, handing a letter to Kagome, "It's an invitation to Tougai, by, well, I'm sure you know" Kaede finished.

Kagome took the invitation, and bowed slightly to Kaede. She acknowledged it and Kagome left the building a little surprised by the sudden exchange of the letter, it seemed Kaede had wanted to catch her off guard as so that she would not be able to refuse, very clever of her indeed.

As Kagome walked back, it became very obvious how her next few months where going to play out. She'd be doing her personal job more, and her personal life less, what a great way to spend the next month, especially away from home and friends.

Soon her home was within sight, but that was when Kagome suddenly noticed something moving on the outskirts of her home. It was small, possibly an animal or a child, and as she came closer she noticed it was the latter of the two.

The boy abruptly stopped, noticing her, and got up from the ground, dashing outwards towards the forest, a very dangerous place to be at night, which was approaching quickly. Kagome gave chase, partially because the boy didn't seem to know where he was going, and partly because she wanted to know what he was doing at her house. Surely he wasn't steeling anything was he? Kagome absentmindedly sat down whatever was in her hands and chased on

Abruptly, a cloud blocked light to the surrounding area, giving the forest an odd, foreboding look, perhaps foreshadowing something coming.

Kagome wasn't stopping to find out what.

A cold breeze hit Kagome, as the atmosphere of the forest changed from that of outside. There was still light coming threw, but it was reddened, and gave the forest a still uneasy feel. It was if the forest emitted a mist of blood.

Then Kagome remembered where she had entered

The Forest of Inuyasha, Forest of the blood mist.

She must have been going very fast to have gotten this far in the forest, and she was starting to get worried, when she suddenly spotted a clearing in the woods up ahead.

She sped up her pace and saw that it was light she was seeing, well at least not all light. The sun's rays where reflecting off of what seemed to be a bloody mist tornado.

There was a red boy standing next to the hellish tornado, holding his arms and hands up, covering his head. When he turned his head Kagome realized who he was.

The boy from the village had just been covered in blood, his clothes splattered and his hair ruffled and stained. Even his teeth seemed to be getting a little blood mist into them.

Kagome reached for her ocarina, but realized she had left it at her home after the demon battle, before she had ran after the boy, she had laid it down on a barrel just outside her shop. Now this wasn't anything to worry about, anyone in the village would recognize it, but she needed it right now.

The wind howled a demonic-like wail, and the wind changed as Kagome walked further in. It seemed the mist was trying to devour the boy, and she had interrupted it by walking into its territory.

The boy dropped to the ground, and the demonic aura felt increasingly stronger as it moved towards Kagome. As it swarmed in the blood instantly swerved into her, but was deflected off of the natural barrier she had around her from her techniques.

It was still taking a lot of strength to keep it up, and it seemed as if eyes where watching her, possibly from another demon watching her? At the moment it didn't matter.

Kagome fell backwards, while still holding herself up with one arm. Her barrier changed from Blue to Red suddenly, it seemed the blood mist was now trying to eat threw her barrier!

Kagome felt something hard as she turned over it felt like a stick or a small rock, and saw that it was sparkling on the ground. She quickly realized that it was just what she needed.

"A Lorikse!" Kagome yelled, grabbing it from the ground, as she swung around facing upwards again, and positioning it at the base of her lips

The boy must have taken it and thought he could defeat this demonic mist. A noble thing to do, and yet at the same time a foolish mistake to make. One needed special training to use such a powerful whistle, even with its simple structure.

Kagome breathed into the instrument, soothing its sounds quickly and gently into the evening's air. Her aura turned back to blue, and then quickly turned a bright white color. Any blood coming into contact with her aura was instantly purified into a white mist, circling around her.

The area of her vesting barrio reached far away from her, and soon engulfed the clearing. The boy was revealed as the blood swept off of him. Now in clear sight, Kagome noticed he had the clear distinctions of a young kitsun, a young fox demon. His actions seemed even more corroded as in playing the whistle, if he had done so correctly, would have done horrible damage to him as well if he didn't now the right patters.

Luckily Kagome did.

The main body of the blood mists had been purified, but the tornado and evil eyes loomed above in the darkening sky. It's demonic aura thickened as it became angry. At that moment Kagome decided to end it. She aimed the end of the flute like whistle towards the demon, and shot a blast so fierce the sound barrier waves could be seen erupting from the instrument, its symbols glowing like burning off of it.

The blasts didn't purify the demon; rather, they wiped it off of the current plain of the living, a hard feat to manage for almost anyone. Since Kagome had already used her powers once today, when she had finished her string of notes, she fell to her knees and hands, and breathed heavily for the first time in awhile.

After a minute or so, she slowly rose from the wavering blades of grass surrounding her, and looked over to the kitsun, who was also just getting up.

She walked a few meters over to the young fox demon. He seemed injured from the time before Kagome had arrived, and got up onto his first leg and one knee, but grasped the ground with his left arm to keep his balance, as his foxtail couldn't handle the burden alone.

"Are you alright?" Kagome asked, examining the boy's scrapes and other injuries, and extending a hand to help him up.

The boy looked up to his rescuer with discontent. He hadn't asked to be saved, although he was grateful, but this was supposed to be his battle. He truly was thankful for the rescue, but to be rescued by a human was despicable, detestable, it just wasn't right, and the boy was now a bit angry.

He swatted Kagome's hand away, causing three claw scratches to draw a bit of blood from her palm, and jumped backwards onto his feet.

"I don't need help from a human" he protested, and glared sternly at Kagome, before a puff of smoke appeared from his feet, and when it had cleared, he was gone.

Kagome stood a moment in shock from the reaction of the demon, and then suddenly got very angry at his behavior. The nerve of some demons!

She strode out of the forest slowly, now that there was no immediate danger in sight, but soon wished she'd gone more quickly, when as she left the entrance of the forest behind, and climbed a hill, and turned around.

The sunset gave off a bloody yellowish mixture. This was not from the demon she had slain; it seemed to be a foreboding omen.

As Kagome finally entered town at dusk, another thought entered her mind, and followed her all the way to her home. She prepared for bed uneasily. The thought would not leave her mind, and he aching was not helping. The Tougai would soon be coming, and she had been invited. However, an invitation to this festival was not just an 'invite', it was more of an order, if you didn't show up it was very much so frowned upon by all citizens and countrymen.

Kagome slipped off her sandals by the end of her futon, and walked over to the side of it. All light from the outside was gone, so she little the fire in her home, and the smoke rose out of the house threw the appropriate hole. She slipped into bed and covered up for the cold night. Even with all the events on her mind, Kagome fell asleep almost as soon as she closed her eyes.

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That's all for now, I have the next chapter planned but don't know when I will actually write it.

Please enjoy and read my other fic!


	3. Dawning 'Unfinished'

**Ghosts of the Soul**

Chapter 3

"Dawning"

Disclaimer: I Don't own Inu-Chan or anything of his or his creator.

**Chapter 3**

Morning came softly as a cool breeze flowed threw the town of Kogaset. The Trees swayed slightly, their leaves rustling and sounding as of waterfalls, and the dew on the grass outside of Lady Kagome's house glistened with the fractures of light pouring from the horizon, just before sunrise. Day noted twilight to it's own ascension, and morning was soothed from it's rest of solitude, to return to it's toil of watching others walk upon it's meaning, but all the while gazing with eyes of wonder upon what might happen in it's short midst of existence.

With a magnificent display of colors the sun broke from the horizon's hold and showered the landscape with it's full impacting, glorious light. The townspeople began stirring, and the light slowly began rise threw Lady Kagome's window.

As she slowly awoke, Kagome stirred ever so slightly, not wanting to leave the comfort of her sleep, but the morning swirls and breezes would not let her rest, and the sun taunted her up, gleaming through the window facing east. Her wake up call was set every morning, and she knew it was time to get ready for the day.

Especially for this day.

It had been a full day since her encounter with Lady Kaede, and Kagome was still feeling uneasy about it, as would almost any one else in her position. Too bad she was the only one like that.

Kagome dressed in her casual yellow shirt and red cloth pants, along with her shoes. She climbed down the ladder leading down to the main part of her house. It was a little shaky, but always held firm whenever she used it. The ladder itself had been a gift from a traveling carpenter. Kagome had helped him to a relation in the village a time ago, and upon learning who she was, the carpenter thanked her for her kindness by fashioning her a ladder for her loft, making an aspect of her life much easier. The man himself was a bit strange, with his hair in a ponytail, and his weird sense of sarcasm, but he seemed a good man all the same.

As she touched bottom floor Kagome quickly set to making herself a small breakfast, including green tea and soup, along with some noodles she had prepared to make last night but had absentmindedly forgot after her ordeal. She quickly sent all of the food down her throat and set off down the stairs to her workshop.

As she entered, the calming soft whistle of the breeze flowing threw the hanging instruments in the front of the shop gave an almost immediate relaxation to Kagome. With all of the problems she would be dealing with today, this helped soften her resolve considerably.

The set of Loriske's she had prepared where all ready to be packed, spread across a table in the back end of the shop. They all looked magnificent in the dawn's light, they're feathers shining and wood showing its perfect streaks. Kagome pulled a box out of a cupboard hanging from the wall and laid the instruments in. She had made a few extra this year, and by doing so, the Loriske's fit so that they would not bounce around in the box. She then pulled out her yellow travel bag and laid the box inside, along with other travel necessities like extra clothing and food.

Last of all, Kagome laid her Ocarina on the bag, she hopefully wouldn't need it in her addresses today, and ran the risk of forgetting it when she left if it wasn't with her provisions.

Another breeze blew into the shop, and Kagome turned around to notice the sun had risen a considerable amount while she had been preparing for the trip, she still had many things to do this day, and had no time to be slacking off. She quickly set out to Lady Kaede's house, The Tougai invitation in her hand.

Halfway there however, she passed the Horse stable, and to her surprise, her favorite horse happened to be standing right near the front. She abruptly stopped and raised her hand to pet it.

"Sorry girl, don't happen to have an apple on me right now" Kagome said soothingly. The horse seemed happy anyway, but when Kagome turned to leave it had a sort of worried glint in its eye. Kagome couldn't explain it, but it looked like the horse was troubled by something, and couldn't tell Kagome. After all animals had a more sensitive nature to their environment, but lacked the ability to tell any humans about it. A compromise, Kagome guessed, that had advantages and disadvantages.

After a minute or so Kagome traveled on, leaving the horse and continuing her voyage to Lady Kaede's Home. It was however Kaede who saw Kagome first, because Kagome happened to run right past her.

"Kagome I know your excited today but please don't let that make you less aware of people" Kaede joked, as Kagome did a one-eighty around and blushed out of embarrassment.

"Sorry about that" She apologized.

"No problem Kagome, I assume you where going to go to the Grand Halls to make your change of season announcement?" Kaede inquired.

Kagome looked at her confused before realizing her mistake.

"No Kaede I was headed to your house, my speech isn't until noon" Kagome replied.

"Kagome have you not noticed the sun? It is almost noon already, I was headed that way to listen, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Kaede explained and questioned.

"Well I'm just a bit confused about this" Kagome said, lifting the invitation and opening it up. "I've never heard of a town called Kioshi".

"Well obviously you haven't, it's a new settlement assembled last year by the Seven Lords themselves. Its actually the name of an island off the coast, within beach view of the third village you will be arriving at" Kaede guided.

This made Kagome very uneasy. No matter if the Seven Lords where supposed to be good, up-keeping men of the country, being on an island to have the festival seemed so unnatural. Especially an Island Kagome had never heard of.

"Well, okay I'll see you at the address Lady Kaede" Kagome said, bowing a little and then setting off for a few more errands before making her ceremonious way to the Grand Halls.

The dusty roads of the village passed by at a quickened pace as Kagome jogged through it. The few places she had left to go where done with and she had just dropped the last items off at her house. She knew she was going to be a bit late to the gathering, and worst of all, it seemed that some clouds where gathering. She hoped there would not be a storm to delay her another day, the seasons turnings had intricate clockwork of sorts, and it was hard to make them up.

The Grand Hall came into view just over the slope leading to the center of the town. No one was in sight, and the doors where closed. The address must have already started with the town leaders. Kagome quickly dashed to the back entrance of the Temple and moved the curtains away from the doorway, opening it.

Her footsteps were light, gentle on the hardwood floor. Every humanly loud noise would echo all the way to the main arch room . . .


End file.
